Centennial celebrations, art projects and ‘RealTalk’ highlight Oshawa’s 100th anniversary year – Mayor

From commemorative art and the launch of legacy projects to record-breaking development and the wildly successful Convergence Festival, Oshawa has a lot to celebrate as it closes out 2024, the 100th anniversary of its incorporation as a city.

“The great City of Oshawa has so much to be proud of this year. The progress we celebrated, the strategic investments we made and the plans we introduced address the present and are building for the future,” said Mayor Dan Carter in his year-end review. “As we move forward into 2025, we will continue to foster the core principles of leadership, innovation, collaboration, inclusion, safety and sustainability.”

Carter there is “much to celebrate” as Oshawa wraps up its centennial year, with centennial highlights including the kick-off at the Regent Theatre in March, enhanced events like Kars on King and the award-winning Peony Festival, art projects like Dani Crosby’s ‘Turning the Wheel’ mural at McMillan Parkade and the Rotary Park & Pool redevelopment project.

Convergence Music & Art Festival

The city also introduced a new Strategic Plan to guide future growth and serve as a roadmap for the municipality to 2027 and launched a new Economic Development Strategy to drive job growth and new investment in Oshawa.

Oshawa continues to “solidify its position” as a prime destination for business, innovation, arts and culture and be recognized as a place where “everyone belongs,” the mayor added.

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter

Other highlights of 2024 include:

• the expansion of Oshawa Fire’s dispatch/alerting operations to cover the entire Region of Durham
• the grand opening of Gold Point Wildlife Reserve Butterfly Park and Dale Hawerchuk Park and the reopening of Sunnyside Park
• new pickleball courts and two playground areas at Rose Valley Community Park as construction on this new park – home to a unique BMX park – continues to progress
• the city’s inaugural Indigenous Cultural Celebration at Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park and the traditional Indigenous renaming ceremony in downtown Oshawa and new street sign for Debwewin Miikan
• more than 930 pet adoptions, with 125 animals helped through two wellness clinics in partnership with local veterinarians, as well as the expansion of the Doggie Day Out program
• General Motors’ donation towards McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and Fenelon/Venus Park.

The city, which strives to be a safe and sustainable community was also recognized this year as a green building champion by Durham Greener Buildings Program for Best Energy Performing Fire Station (Fire Hall 1) and received a Climate Leadership Award for the Rotary Park Redevelopment project.

Artist Dani Crosby’s ‘Turning the Wheel’ mural project

Oshawa also added six fully electric vehicles to the fleet, bringing the total number of to 15; hosted three summer Community Safety in the Park events by Fire Prevention Municipal Law Enforcement; extended the city’s active transportation network with a new pedestrian bridge for Erie Park neighbourhood; completed community engagement to begin development of the Oshawa’s first consolidated Stormwater Management Master Plan; and worked with CLOCA to reuse old Christmas trees to stabilize stream banks, control erosion, collect sediment, and improve overall stream habitat and water quality.

Other achievements celebrated in Oshawa this year included:

• the introduction of an online application portal available 24/7 that improves customer service and consolidates applying for permits and licenses, checking the status of applications and paying for select services
• the second annual Shape Oshawa Open House in May at the Oshawa Centre and a Telephone Open House with Carter in September where residents were invited to learn more about city programs and services and to have their say on public consultations
• ten community engagement events with Connect Oshawa and in-person forums allowing residents to chat about improvement and sustainability
• the launch of the RealTalk Oshawa podcast with the mayor, featuring authentic conversations with leaders about the important challenges facing urban cities, including Oshawa.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPgoswrQA-M